Your guide to buying herbs and spices online

Once expensive commodities that only the rich could afford, herbs and spices have become a mainstay in British kitchens. From staples like cinnamon and cumin to more exotic offerings like asafoetida and ancho chillies, a well-equipped spice rack has become the true sign of a good cook.

Better yet, herbs and spices don’t just taste good – they’re healthy too. Certain herbs and spices have health-giving properties and they reduce the need to add salt to meals. If you’re bored of the selection of spices in your local supermarket, rest assured you’ll find much more choice online. But where do you start? Here’s our guide to buying herbs and spices on the internet.

Best websites for spices

If you’re searching for an online spice emporium, JustIngredients might be just the thing. There’s a huge range of herbs and spices on this website, which claims to be the UK’s largest online range of herbs, spices and wholefoods. Most spices here start at £1.49 for 100g, but you can buy larger quantities too. If you’re trying to make more ethical choices, Cotsherb also have special Organic and Fairtrade selections too. And if you spend over £50, you’re entitled to free delivery in the UK.

The Spicery is another fantastic site for buying herbs and spices online. This site is particularly great for people who like chillies, paprika and pepper, as these ingredients have their own section at The Spicery. And unlike JustIngredients, its packets come in much smaller, home kitchen-friendly sizes of 20g and upwards. Better still, you can buy herbs and spices in teaspoon size packs – so if you’re searching for an uncommon ingredient for a recipe, you only need buy as much as you’ll use. Postage is free on all orders too and their Monthly Spicebox Subscriptions make a great present for the spice lovers in your life.

If you’ve ever been to London’s Borough Market, you may have come across Spice Mountain before. But did you know you can also buy their great range of herbs and spices online? Their website is a treasure trove for foodies, with spices available to buy individually or in blends. They also sell gift boxes and a wide range of different salts.

And if you’re looking for high quality cooking sauces and spice blends, Seasoned Pioneers has the solution. You might have seen a few of their more popular products – like their Ras El Hanout spice blend or their Sri Lankan Curry sauce – in supermarkets before. But their website has a much broader offering, and there are even recipe ideas to inspire you.

Finding out more about spices

Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer choice of herbs and spices online? You can also use the internet to find out more about their origins and properties. The Schwarz herb and spice map, for instance, gives you a great overview of where these revolutionary ingredients come from. And Green Cuisine, another popular spice brand, has a handy online A-Z guide of herbs and spices to help you learn more. The Kitchn’s herb and spice guide is comprehensive too, and it’s continually updated as more exotic spices become increasingly popular.

Mother of three grown-up daughters I am the ultimate multi-tasker and am passionate about my role as Silversurfers Website Editor and Social Media Manager. Always on the lookout for all things that will interest and entertain our community. Fuelling fun for the young at heart!

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